Thursday, 26 February 2015

Low Thia Khiang Cries Wolf Over AHPETC

Stop Crying Wolf Mr Low Thia Khaing ....

“No one wants to work for me. That’s my problem Prime Minister!”

Your problem, Mr Low, is that you are economical with the truth.

In theAljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) saga, related party transactions (RPTs) that the TC has with managing agent FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) came under fire.Workers’ Party (WP) Chief Low Thia Khiang claims that the WP faces difficulties in attracting companies as its managing agent – “No one wants for work for me. That’s my problem Prime Minister!” he cried out in Parliament.Law Minister K Shanmugam asked Mr Low to stop playing the victim card.Companies exist to make profits. There is no reason any SME would avoid a contract worth millions of dollars. If the conditions are feasible and profitable, why would anyone not want to put in a bid for AHPETC? It is a huge town council and promising in terms of business profitability.And this is indeed what happened.Vendors have served both PAP and WP town councils.The fact is that vendors do not serve PAP or Opposition TCs exclusively -- as shown by the list of tender results here at AHPETC’s own website Tender ResultsAlmost all these companies do business with government agencies as well as other town councils.The WP is not a victim. It is crying wolf. Companies do not care if your money is blue or white – as long as it is green.So Mr Low, it is not true that nobody wants to work with you. The question is: Why did you nevertheless only want to work with FMSS when awarding the $26 million Managing Agent contract? Was it because you wanted to favor your friends?Law Minister K Shanmugam said in Parliament you gave contracts to your friends. You did not rise to contradict him.Till this day you have not contradicted him. It must be because you cannot deny the charge.You favored your friends. And it is not because nobody wanted to work with you – for it is clear many SMEs are only too happy to work with AHPETC. It is because you preferred to funnel money to your friends.

2 comments:

Hougang SMC was under the purview of WP since 1991. So they cannot blame its lapses on PAP hand-over of Aljunied GRC which is unrelated. Hougang SMC is owing millions of $ to 2 ex-HUDC estates which remained outstanding to-date, viz. Hougang Ave 2 and Ave 7. Back in 2011, ex-Minister Lim Hwee Hua was the 1st MP to highlight its sinking fund problem but was accused of character assassination by WP Chief LTK. This issue had remained unresolved after 5 yrs because WP refused to answer anyone. If WP Chief is honourable, he should sue AGO or PAP MP for tarnishing his character.

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About Me

Bumiputra (or Bumiputera) is a Malay word which means "son of the soil". Being a 3rd Generation Singaporean, I consider Singapore my home.
Like many of my generation who have not experienced the hardships of nation building, I fervently believe in the notion of total democracy. However, having had the opportunity to see first hand the limitations of democracy where micro segments of the community (with personal agendas) manipulate the unsuspecting public, I believe that for democracy to work, total and complete information must be made available for people to make an educated choice at the ballot box.
As our Government of the day does not seem to want to (or are incapable of) engaging the rumour mongers, I believe that as a son of the soil, I should play my part to help provide total and complete information.
At the end of the day, I am neither pro-government nor pro-opposition. I respect everyone's choice at the ballot box but believe that in exercising the right to vote, we must have the complete picture.